Moving into the 21st Century

Apple TVs, MacBook Airs and iPad Minis oh my! The Rye school district has been blessed with laptops for teachers and iPads for students through a generous grant and left over money from a warrant article to update technology. We are finally moving into the 21st century. Soon teachers will be able to wirelessly broadcast a lesson from their MacBook Air to their TV or projector screen in front of the room. They can then have students practice skills on the iPads and take control of the projection without moving out of their seats to explain their process and understanding in front of their peers.

This also means, I'll finally be able to become a tech integrator. Before we deploy the teacher laptops, I will deliver a one hour tutorial on the Mac OS (Mountain Lion) and how to manage your files and personalize the device for your learning environment. In addition, each week for the rest of the year I will offer a quick 15 - 20 minute mini PD session hitting on just one or two elements of the new devices and software packages with strategies for best practice within the classroom. (Click on the SAU#50 Tech PD Calendar at the bottom of the page to check out the latest offerings as they are updated weekly.)

Mini PD sessions are great for teachers, so that they can try these strategies out in class during the week without feeling overwhelmed. An online web site will be created to archive these tutorials for anyone that cannot attend or would like to revisit the training at a later time. This of course opens the doors to everyone else out there on the web as well, so feel free to share them with other professionals around the globe.

The new MacBook Air laptops will eventually replace the teacher's older Dell Laptops, but we will not collect these older laptops until the end of the school year. This should give teachers ample time to transfer their files over to the Mac and get acquainted with a brand new operating system. These older laptops will be repurposed for learning or recycled. Please do not hesitate to ask for assistance for troubleshooting or for guidance in learning something new. I'm always happy to help!

Check Mr. Lawson's calendar to book time for curriculum and technology integration help. He is ready to meet with you for planning, model lessons, co-teaching, and assisting in your classrooms and in the computer lab.